Why Choose a Word of the Year?

I haven’t a clue how I started with “word of the year”.   I am sure I read something about it and thought it was a good idea.   I’d love to give credit to someone but it has been a few years since I started.

The first year I began was in 2016 with the word PRAYER.   I chose it as my word of the year.  Sort of a focus word.   I wanted to improve my prayer life and I thought this might help.  I started a prayer journal.   I looked for places it speaks of prayer in the Bible.   I read about prayer, and tried to learn more about Prayer.   I found it a challenge to focus on one word for a whole year and slowly my determination dwindled.

In 2017, I chose the word JOY.   I was more persistent on making this my word for the year.   I saw the word joy everywhere I looked.  The word jumped out at me in the Bible, devotions, sermons, etc.   I bought books on joy and sang songs about joy.  It helped me focus on keeping joy in my life and being a more joy-filled woman.  I feel God used this word to throw at me on hard days.  He would speak to me through verses about joy throughout the year.   I would turn on the radio and hear a song about joy.   It helped tune my ears to hear God speak to me.

In 2018, I chose the word FLOURISH.   Now that was a challenge!   You don’t find that word very many places.   This year I created a bracelet with the word on it to help remind me about my word.   I found a year long devotional entitled Flourish by Margaret Feinberg.   It was so perfectly fit for me I couldn’t believe it.  Not only does it have great devotions, it also has adorable scriptures and quotes and doodles to colour.   Can’t get much better than that!  You can click on the title and it will go directly to Amazon to purchase and right now it’s on sale! (Nov 2018)

Why choose a word of the year?

Every New Year millions of people write long lists of resolutions many of which go unmet because they forgot what they were by the time February rolls around.  I encourage everyone to choose a word of the year instead.  It is easier to remember.  It is meant to be used as a guiding word for something you want to work on in your life.  You can see by the examples of words I have chosen in the past exactly what areas I wanted to work on.   Flourish was a bit of a vague one but I wanted to focus on making my life thrive.   I actually thought of using the word thrive but then flourish came to me and I fell in love with the idea of flourishing in all areas of my life.  When I looked up the meaning of Flourish is means “to break forth”.   I knew this was the word for me!   This year would be the first year that I don’t have toddlers running around in 24 years.   All of my kids and foster children are in school and I chose to close my daycare this year so it’s just me and a baby this year.   God had been prompting me to write more and start public speaking and sharing the wealth of information and skills I have gathered over the years.  This was my year to break forth!   Do you see how exciting a word of the year can be?

There are many ways you can incorporate the word into your life.  Examine the word first.  Look up the dictionary definition.   Google it!  Search for your word in the Bible.    Then listen for it in your daily life.  Write it where you will see it and be reminded of it.  Journal when you see or hear it.   Find books, songs, and blogs about it.   Let your word be your motto or theme of your year.

You can also email me at eanorg3@yahoo.ca and send me your address and your word of the year and I will custom create your word of the year bracelet.   For just $5. you will get a metal bangle that comes flat and you can bend it to your wrist size.   It’s super comfy and I have worn mine all year and it looks great!

As 2019 approaches way too quickly (only 34 days left!), it’s time to choose my next word of the year.   I hope you will join me in choosing a word and see all the cool ways God will speak to you with your word.  Like or Follow me on Facebook at Adelle On Fire to find out when I reveal my word for 2019!

Here’s my list of possibilities.  Let me know in the comments below what word you choose!  Comment below and one lucky person will win a bracelet with their word of the year for free.  Draw takes place December 15th, 2018.

I can’t wait to see how God uses your word to encourage you throughout the year!

SDG

Click on the link to open a printable PDF version.

Word of the Year Ideas